Colon therapy apparatus



May 13, 1947.

R. w. DE WELLES 2,420,586

COLON THERAPY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1943 IN V EN TOR. Pay M4fleil/fles Patented May 13, 1947 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLONTHERAPY APPARATUS Roy W. De Welles, Kansas City, Mo.

Application September 24, 1943, Serial No. 503,619

I (Cl. 128-227 1 Claim.

This invention relates to colon therapy apparat'us and particularlymeans for irrigating the colon of the human body, and simultaneouslyapplying to the lining thereof, for absorption by the blood stream, apredetermined amount of oxygen, the supply whereof is controllablethrough the instrumentality of the apparatus embodying the invention.

Another important aim of this invention is the provision of colonicirrigating means having as a major portion thereof, a system of pipesfor introducing to the colon, under a desired pressure head, a quantityof liquid wherein may be entrained a volume of oxygen, to the end thathealing is assisted and the killing of bacteria is promoted.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of theaforementioned character, having means for injecting fluids andassociated elements for relieving pressure when the capacity of theperson being treated reaches its maximum.

Other objects of the invention include selfcontained parts forevacuating certain sections of the overflow tubing in the apparatus,means for maintaining the desired pressure head, and

manually controllable units for selectively intro- 4 ducing to theliquid being injected, an amount of air and/or oxygen.

Other objects of the invention will appear during the course of thefollowing specification, referring to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a colon therapy apparatus made inaccordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical illustration of the system employed in theapparatus.

In commercial practice the instrument is usually hung on the surface ofa vertical wall and housed within a case 4 having a basin 6 connected toa conventional sewer through waste pipe 8.

Case 4 is formed to expose to View sight tube I and level indicatingtube I2, joined to tank I4 in which is stored such medication as theoperator desires to introduce to the fluid being injected.

A quick acting gate valve I6 controls the passage of fluid to thepatient and a flexible tube I8 isin connection with gate valve l6 at itsone end, while the otherend thereof, not here shown, may be joined tosuitable injection nozzles.

The apparatus is joined to a source of hot water through the medium of aconduit 20 and to a source of cold water by a conduit 22. These'themanually manipulatable portion 42 thereof exteriorly of case 4.Conduit 44 extends from the lower end of conduit 38 to gate valve I6.

For purpose of supplying water of desired temperature to tank I4, aconduit 46 is attached to T 36 and joined to the top of tank l4. Thisconduit 46 is equipped with a valve 48, the handle 56 whereof isprojected beyond the outer wall of case 4 for convenient access. Afiller tube 52 extends to tank I4 from a point at the top of case 4 andit is through this tube that any medication that is to be introduced tothe stream of liquid entering the patient, is placed in tank I4.Obviously the level of the liquid in tank I4 may be observed by theexposed, transparent level tube I2.

Conduits 38 and 44 from sight tube II) to gate valve I6 usually have acolumn of water therein when the patient is being treated. This columnof water may be medicated by opening valve 54, the handle 56 whereof isexposed on case 4. Valve 54 controls the passage of the medicationthrough conduit 55.

The water destined for the patient may be charged with oxygen which isintroduced into the water as it enters conduit 38. Conduit 58 having asuitable connection 60 directly to a bottle of oxygen, not here shown,extends to T 36 and has a control valve 62 therein. Tube 64 connects asource of compressed air, not here shown, with conduit 66, one end ofwhich is joined to conduit 58 by coupling 68. Two-way valve 10 controlsthe passage of air from tube 64 to conduit 66 and likewise controls thepassage of air from tube 64 to pipe 12, the function whereof will laterbe set forth.

An unique overflow system is provided in the colon therapy apparatusmade as illustrated, and the same insures a positive relief of pressurewhen capacity of the patient or a desired pressure is reached. Pipe I4extends vertically for a considerable distance to a connection 16 topipe 18, extending to waste 8 by way of basin 6, pipe and I T 82. Pipe18 continues upwardly from T 16 to its open end near the top of case 4and is provided with a valve 84. Another vertical pipe 86 has its lowerend joined to T 82 and its upper end connected to pipe 88 which servesas means for placing into communication pipes 18 and 86. The upper endof pipe 86 is joined to pipe 12.

When operating the apparatus it is desired to have a continuous flow ofliquid through the colon for a period of from thirty-five minutes andduring this time, air is introduced to the water from tube 6.4. Undersuch conditions valve 10 is set to close pipe 12 and allow the flow ofair from tube 64 to conduit '66 and thence to conduit 38 where the waterfrom conduit 34 is charged with said air. The charged air passes throughconduit 44 to tube [8 and thence to the patient. A column of waterhaving a level, observable through sight tube l0, may. first becollected. in conduit 44 before opening gate valve [6, if such apressure as will be exerted by the said. column of water is desired.Agny medicant may be introduced into the water from tank [4 througheqndu t 5 by me ely o ening V 1 e-5 A column of; water will appearinpipe 14. during the operation of theapparatus andin the event backpressurein tube l8. becomes great enough to overcome'the' atmosphericpressure on the top of the-column of; water in pipe 14, the level ofthat column will arise and escape through pipe 18 to wasteliby way ofpipe 80. Valve 84, of course, mpe ial; It back; pressure becomes sogreat as to, oyercome the; ability of pipe 18 to carry off the-liquid;itwillrise pipe '18 and pass through pipe-8&topipe BI Where it willescape to waste through pipe 80. Valve 10 is in the position where pipei2; isclosedand the action of gravity on the'liquid at the. connectionof pipe 88 with pipe 86, will insure that pipe 12 will not becomefilled. If this pipashould become filled and the has]; pressure so greatas toovercome the ability of; i es l8. and 86 to carry off the waste inthe then an. emergency. overflow will come intoplay throughtheupper endof pipe 18. which isopemto the atmosphere.

Aiterair and waterhas been fedto the patient 9? period of; timedetermined by the particular case-bein treated, valve 10. is closed,valve Q2; is opened; and; oxygen is introduced through conduit 53,-,bway ofv T. 6.8, conduit 58 and T- 36 to theinpoming liquid. from conduit34-. Pure oxygen will be carried to the patient through conduits 38 and44 and tube IS. A treatment of from ten to fifteeen minutes with oxygenwill cleanse the colonic walls and permit the absorption of the oxygenby the blood stream. The introduction of oxygen to the colon is also forthe purpose of killing any bacteria.

It is obvious from the foregoing that proper manipulation of the exposedvalves of the system as they appear in Fig, 1 of, the drawing. willpermit a prope and safe treatment; the pressure exerted will not bedetrimental to the patient; and the several ways of relieving excessivepressuredefinitely insures comfort and safety. Apparatus of a specificcharacter difierent from that illustrated may be made to embody theinvention, and therefore, it is desired to be limited only by the scopeof the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

Incolonic irrigating apparatusof the character described, averticalclosely looped conduit having connection with a source of. liquid; meansfor introducing oxygen under pressure to the liquid as, itv enterssaidvertical. conduit; means for introducing compressed. air tosaid.liquid as it enters said vertical conduit;v apparatus at. the lowermostend. of. the conduit for connecting the same toan iniectionmedium; andmanually operable means. for selectively introducing controlled amountsofv the. air and said. oxygeninto thevertical conduitior admixingwiththe liquid.

RQY' DE WELLES'.

REFERENCES CITED Thefol-lowingreferences; are of record in the file: ofthis; patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number, Name Date.

402,302 Casey et al Apr. 30, 1889 2,074,374- De Mendoza Mar. 23, 19372,313,805.- Crawford et a1 Mar. 16, 19.43.

FOREIGN PATEN I'S Number Country Date 139,975, Great. Britain Mar.18,1930

